All manner and variety of absorbent devices or appliances have been configured for the absorption of body fluids, such as menses, and are well known. Such devices are expected to absorb the body fluid, retain the fluid within the absorbent and to prevent the discharged body fluids from soiling the person and/or clothing.
In the formation of such disposable absorbent devices they commonly include a liquid-permeable, bodyfacing cover, an absorbent core and a liquid-impermeable backing sheet or baffle. These absorbent devices, whether utilized as diapers, incontinence garments or sanitary napkins are subject to failure. Leakage from absorbent devices is generally attributed to a high concentration of fluid absorption at the point of fluid insult. At this point the absorbent material in the device becomes super-saturated and unable to accept, to a large degree, additional fluids from the body. Using a sanitary napkin as an example, the menses will generally migrate radially from the point of insult and will leak from the sides. This usually results in the soiling of wearer, typically around the thigh region, and the undergarment. In the area of sanitary napkins, it has been suggested that at least 20-25 percent of all sanitary napkins experience side leakage. This incidence of leakage increases for those sanitary napkins having increased absorbency designed primarily for medium to heavy flow.
To overcome the problem of side leakage, sanitary napkins have been constructed having elasticized sides that urge the sides upward or cause the sanitary napkin to form a cup shape.
Another method of preventing side leakage has been to extend wings, flaps or panels (hereinafter wings) from the edges of the sanitary napkin. The wings generally extend over the edges of the undergarment and adhere to the underside of the crotch portion or to themselves. The wings typically assist the garment adhesive, if present, to hold the sanitary napkin in position during use. However, it is possible that these elasticized edges or wings will fold inward, partially occluding the cover surface and thereby diminishing the efficacy of the sanitary napkin. In some cases this folding results in the edges actually contributing to incidence of failure.
Improving the performance of sanitary napkins continues to be a formidable undertaking, although a number of improvements have been made in both materials and construction. However, eliminating leakage, particularly along the inside of the thighs without compromising comfort and fit has not met the desired needs of the consumer.
Therefore, there remains a need for a sanitary napkin that will be comfortable to wear while decreasing the chance of side leakage associated with the use of sanitary napkins during the menstrual period.